"Hacks" is often a term used to describe unique tips to help you do something easier and more affordably. According to an Microsoft article by so
You also might see me add a few of my own. You might also see me add some info to each one if I have done it or seen it. My takes on each item will be listed after "Pro tip" because I have done that item and it works for me.
Save space by avoiding overpacking
-Overpacking is something we've all done at least once in our lives or it's something we know is done by someone we know. To avoid overpacking, leave out bulky items and consider where you are going, what you'll be doing and what the weather is like. This will ensure you don't overpack and risk those pesky overweight bag fees
-My stepdad does this EVERY TIME we go on vacation. I only overpacked once and it was when me and my family went on vacation to the Dominican Republic. I had never been there, and was unsure what the climate was like. I packed one too many shirts and there were a couple I didn't even wear
21. Mix and match clothing
-When packing, pack clothes that are of neutral colors that can be worn with multiple items. This will not only make it easier to choose clothing, you can also be stylish
22. Limit the amount of jewelry you wear
-Choose a few pieces of jewelry that goes with your outfits. Wear the larger items during travel to save space in your carry on
-Pro tip: if you bring a lot of jewelry on vacation, this just means more you have to put into a hotel room safe. And if the safe is not working, invest in a luggage lock that only you have the key to. Put your valuables into the suitcase and lock it. Sometimes maids will take items from tourists because they think tourists are rich. Hide anything you don't want stolen by the maids
23. Pack reusable travel bottles / tumblers
-Don't pack full size bottles. Instead opt for reusable bottles or tumblers. You can fill these bottles with your favorite drink. They not only save space but they also comply with airport security liquid rules. If you need to wash clothes where you are going, bring a small container of laundry detergent
-Pro tip: taking a reusable bottle or tumbler with you, especially if you are going to a tropical destination with a bar, will be easy for you. You can take your tumbler or bottle to the bar and ask them to fill it with the drink of your choice, even if it's juice or water. The steel tumbler will keep it cold for hours. When going through security, just get the tumbler or tumblers (if you plan on taking more) out of your carry on and put them in the bin you put your other items in. Security will see that there are just metal tumblers and nothing suspicious. And if they do ask about why they are in the bin, inform them that you are making their job easier by showing them that they are just metal tumblers, nothing more or less. They appreciate people making their job easier
24. Leave room for souvenirs
-Save some space in your luggage for souvenirs. Compression bags can shrink down clothes and save more space
-Pro tip: if you don't want your souvenirs broken, my suggestion would be to put them in your carry on. I've seen the way airport staff handle luggage. They don't care. Their mindset is "not my luggage, not my problem." They certainly wouldn't like it if someone did that to THEIR luggage. So they carelessly throw luggage into the airplane, not taking a second to consider that someone has souvenirs they don't want broken. Keep your souvenirs in your carry on. Prior to going through security, get the souvenirs out so that security knows they are souvenirs and not suspicious items. Also, if you buy something that is made of organic material, such as wood, you might get stopped by security only so they can examine the item. This is to check for any sort of invasive species of insect that might be hitching a ride into the country you're returning to. These invasive species of insects can mix with other insects and do massive damage to the local agriculture
25. Make a list before you pack
-This is the most important thing you can do. This ensures that you have everything you need. This prevents overpacking. Make a list of everything you will need for the destination you are traveling to. This includes clothing, sunblock, sunglasses, whatever you'll need for the trip. Triple check prior to your trip to ensure you have everything you need in case you need to make any last minute trips to the store for necessary supplies
-Pro tip: Start making a list at least 1-2 months ahead of time. Start getting items out and mark it off the list each time you collect an item. Triple check each item to confirm you have it so that if you are missing something, you'll have time to get that item before your trip. Once you have said item, put it in the correct bag or spot in your luggage. It's always good to have peace of mind knowing you have everything you are going to need. In the case of my parents, who take medication, my mother, who is probably the most organized person in the world, brings a list of medications for both her and my stepdad. She does this so that security knows the reason why they are bringing so many medications with them. They can look at the list and know they are legitimately needed
26. Use the "Last In, First Out" Method
-Put the items you'll use last at the bottom of your suitcase while the items you'll use first go up top. This will keep you from rummaging through your suitcase and making it look like security has already gone through it
27. Make your entertainment digital
-Instead of packing bulky books or magazines, go digital. Download your favorite movies, magazines or books on to a tablet. This is not only a space saver, but will keep you entertained once you are able to turn these devices on
-Pro tip: ensure any digital device is in Airplane Mode. This safety mode will not affect the electronic measurements on the airplane. Only turn on your devices when told it's safe to do so
28. Limit gadgets
-Bring only the gadgets you know you will use. Put cables and chargers in clear plastic bags to keep them together
Get the best deals for travel
-It always pays off, no pun intended, to get the most for your money. Look for discounts anywhere you can. If you are a retired person, and are eligible for AARP (American Association for Retired People), see if they have travel discounts. Seniors do get a lot of discounts on things. Look for any travel discount you can utilize.
29. Enable price alerts for flights
-Prices for flight and travel can change in a heartbeat. By setting up price alerts on the travel sites out there, you can know when a price gets to what you want and can afford. You'll know when the time is right to go. Google Flights or Skyscanner can help you with good, quick price alerts
30. Travel during the off-season
-It's always good to travel during the off-season. This ensures you beat major crowds and it's often cheaper to fly during the off seasons. There will be deep discounts on everything, from flights to accommodations and even local shops might offer you some savings. Local shops offer deep discounts when tourist numbers are low. September-November seems to be the off season for a lot of places, as there is not a lot of people traveling unless they are on vacation. Kids won't be travelling with them, as they will be in school, unless they are homeschooled. This time period tends to be incredibly affordable on flights, accommodations and more.
Pro tip: Do not travel around the holidays. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Memorial Day tend to be the busier holidays, according to most travel companies. Airports can be busy. The roads will be backed up with traffic if people are driving. Also, do some research into local holidays where you are going. If you are going somewhere and there happens to be a local major holiday, you might run into a lot of people. But that's not a bad thing; it's interesting to see how the locals celebrate holidays. It's more of a "put it on your radar" type thing so you know. Also, travel during the summer tends to be busy because a lot of kids are on summer vacation, so you'll see a lot of kids at the airport. Just be patient when around kids. They are just as excited as you are to travel and it's always incredibly rewarding to see just how excited kids can get when they know they are going somewhere they've never been to. And they're cute as ever when they are excited about travel
31. Use the incognito mode for booking
-What you may not know is that sometimes prices can fluctuate based on your search history. To keep prices from changing, put yourself into Incognito Mode. Use this when booking hotels or flights. This keeps the search history relatively clean and prices reasonable. This ensures that online activity does not have an impact on the costs you're seeing
32. Join a frequent flyer program
-These programs offer great discounts to those who travel a lot. Airlines offer frequent flyer programs that can offer the chance to earn miles and points to use towards international travel or other benefits. When on the airplane, staff aboard will tell you about frequent flyer programs that you can join if you plan to travel frequently. They will hand out applications to those interested
33. Get accommodations with built in kitchen facilities
-Some people prefer to get accommodations with built in kitchens. Others do not. It's all down to what you personally prefer. The idea behind accommodations with built in kitchens is that it will save on food costs. It will allow you to prepare and cook your own food rather than eat at a restaurant every day
Pro tip: I did this when I went on vacation with my mother, stepfather, his sister Jeananne and her son Noah when we went to Florida one year. They all rented a condo with a kitchen that was right there on the beach. It, for us at least, was more trouble than it was worth. It was not much of a vacation when we had to hit up the local grocery store, Publix, and get food. Every night, we prepared food and had to clean the dishes that were available for use in the cabinet. All the stuff you can do at home with the expense of a vacation rental right on the beach.
-It didn't work for me. That's not to say everyone will feel the same way. It might work for some and that is fine. It simply didn't work for me. Not only that, that vacation was boring. All we did was hang by the pool and walk on the beach. I had to be extremely careful because back then, I burned incredibly easily (luckily my skin is a lot tougher now; I don't burn anywhere near as easily as I used to). We didn't go to any of the major theme parks like Busch Gardens in Tampa (we were in Tampa Bay, by the way), Universal Studios Orlando or Walt Disney World in Orlando. The only major thing we did was go mini golfing at a course two miles up the road in an area called Indian Rocks Beach. I was glad to go home.
34. Explore Local Tourist Passes
-There is such a thing as local tourist passes. These allow tourists to visit destinations at a deeply discounted price. They also offer savings on public transportation, which helps you get around
35. Eat like the locals
-Instead of hitting up the touristy spots, go to the local market or local restaurants. Eat and drink amongst the locals. Not only will this help immerse you in the local culinary scene, but you can also save money too. An added perk is that you might get the chance to talk to some of the locals and meet interesting people and you can heighten your travel experience
-This is what I plan to do if I get the chance to visit London. Nothing would fascinate me more than eating amongst the local residents. Getting to know their interesting stories. Seeing all of the unique architecture. And if I see locations from various films I've seen, I will have to exercise extreme self control from getting excited at seeing something in real life from a film I saw. For example, if I see the building that was used as the MI-6 headquarters in the film Skyfall, I will definitely be taking a picture
36. Use public transportation
-Learn the local public transportation. They are far more affordable than taxis or rideshare services. It's a great way to travel around like the locals do. You can find some great things that taxis or rideshare services might miss. You can save money by using public transportation and use that money elsewhere. Not only that, you might meet some interesting locals while using public transportation
Maintain health and safety and various other needs
-It's strongly important to make sure you are prepared. "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst" is usually a good phrase to live by. When traveling, there might be unexpected situations that pop up. It's always good to be prepared
37. Make photocopies of important documents
-Make copies of your most important travel documents. This includes your photo ID, passport, travel itinerary. Keep these copies separate from the originals. This is with the idea that if the originals get lost or stolen, you'll still have all of your crucial information
38. Learn some basic phrases
-It's always important to learn basic phrases in the local language prior to traveling to that destination. It's not only respectful, but it will help you in the long run. Learn some vital words such as "help", "emergency", "doctor", "hospital", "allergy". Also, learn some basic greetings, like "Hello", "How are you?", "thank you", "you're welcome". If you need police / emergency assistance, learn what the local number is. In England, it's 999 for emergency services
-Pro tip: get a travel book. There are plenty out there. My suggestions would be Fodor's Travel, Rick Steves', Lonely Planet. They have everything broken down by price. 1 $ means affordable. 2 $$ means moderately priced. 3 $$$ means expensive. I have quite a few books by these companies and people at home about travel. I have one on England, one on London, one on Japan, one on New York, one on Australia and one on Hawaii. They're informative, helpful and offer helpful tips and hints about what to do, what to see, where to eat, where to stay, all based on your budget.
-Sadly, I've made a list of everything I would love to do / see when visiting these destinations. And it doesn't help when a British friend of mine from college told me about Alton Towers, a theme park in Stoke-on-Trent, England and how much fun he had there. He said if I got the chance to go there, I should. One ride he recommended was Oblivion because not only was it fun, but the concrete area around it was designed to look like a supervillain lair. It was designed by a production designer who worked on at least five of the James Bond films. I told him that now I have to go there and see it for myself. Of course, he sent back a bunch of laughing face emojis because we were chatting on Facebook
39. Check your travel insurance
-Verify that your travel insurance is up to date. Check that it covers your destination of choice. It should include coverage for accidents, illness, loss / theft. It will provide peace of mind as you enjoy your trip
40. Notify your bank prior to travel
-This will bring you peace of mind as well as that of your local bank. Notify your local bank about your intention to travel. Let them know when you are leaving, when you are coming back, where you are going. They will red flag any suspicious activity on your card and will even block / freeze your card from use in case of foreign transactions
-Pro tip: carry cash and / or cards. Depending on where you are going, if you plan on taking your card, do the above-mentioned advice. Not only will you have peace of mind, your bank will too. My mother worked in credit card fraud for a local bank for 10 years. She would block / unblock cards for the account holders for their protection. And, of course, they would always call and yell at her for this. She would kindly explain to them that she did this for their protection and explain that they should have notified the bank prior to travel
-A great example. A lot of former New York / New Jersey residents live in the Cincinnati, Ohio region. A woman who was from New York, but living in the Cincinnati, Ohio area had called in to complain that her card was blocked. She had planned a three week trip to the Far East, seeing places like China, Vietnam and Japan. My mom had blocked her card and this woman had called in, very angry, demanding to know why her card was not working. My mom had to educate her about the high risk of identity theft and credit card fraud that was prevalent in the Far East. That she should have notified the bank prior to travel. When my mom finished, the woman was deeply apologetic and appreciated what my mom had done. My mom had explained that it was her job to block cards from suspicious activity that is not normal for the account holder. My mom asked that, to prevent this from happening again, the woman needs to contact Card Services at the bank and let them know when she is leaving / coming back and where she is going. The person will put a travel advisory with this information on her account so that people will know that it's the card holder making those charges
41. Pack a doorstop
-For additional security, bring a doorstop. It sounds strange, but bringing a doorstop to use in your hotel room will keep unwanted guests from coming in
42. Check for Free Wi-Fi
-See if the hotel you're staying at offers Wi-Fi for free. It will help you stay connected and saves on expensive international data roaming charges
43. Carry reusable shopping bag
-Have a reusable shopping bag in your luggage. This will offer a convenient way of carrying items, such as souvenirs and it's eco-friendly
44. Research local customs and etiquette
-It's incredibly important to do research on what local customs and etiquette is. This will avoid not only cultural mistakes, but it will heighten your travel experience when you do what the locals do. Like the old saying "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." This phrase translates into "when in a city or country, do as the locals do." They will respect you when they see you are making a genuine effort to respect their laws and customs
Travel smarter, not harder
-These tips are designed to make packing for a trip a breeze. Use these tips to make your trip go more smoothly, not more stressful. Following these tips will heighten your travel experience and garner you respect from the locals
